However, the family eventually hired a private investigator. Vicki Heilig Dukes AIKEN, SC - Vicki Heilig Dukes, 65, died Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. Rothwell said the GBI never followed up after their names appeared in an investigative summary. While it might have not been explosive "smoking gun" testimony, it did paint a picture of the scene police officers were met with during a welfare check at the high school teachers home 17 years ago when she failed to show up to work on a particular Monday in October 2005. Bo confessed all of this to Brooke, who stuck with him. Brooke Sheridan: I had to tell some I had to tell. More than an hour into his testimony, Ryan Duke described the moment Bo Dukes led him to Grinstead's body. Maria Woods Harber: Tara really did want to get back with Marcus. Bo Dukes is serving 25 years for concealing her death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators. Back then, hardly anyone thought this case would ever be solved. We are not authorized to file an initial application for Veterans' Aid and Attendance benefits on your behalf, or to represent you before the Board of Veterans' Appeals within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in any proceeding on any matter, including an application for that benefits. Maria Woods Harber: Yeah, she did. Ryan Dukes Aiken, - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. Interment will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. Tara's car was parked in the driveway. The alleged drug addict was arrested once for a DUI in 2010 but was released on bond. Jannis Paulk: She was dating, I think, more than people realized that she was dating. Maria Woods Harber: Tara had a boyfriend for a long time And during the summer of 2005, they broke up. His lawyers demanded the case be thrown out as the statute of limitations had already passed before asking for the trial to be moved to another venue in Irwin County. "I asked them what they thought happened to Tara, and they said they killed her and burned her," Latt said. Police found her car seat in position for someone taller, and police said they found an envelope with $100 in cash on the dashboard. I can still see her standing at the door. LAWYER: Any doubt in your mind, however, that you heard these two people laughing about killing and burning Tara Grinstead's body? Miriam Sealy, Tara Grinstead's school friend and childhood neighbor, fought back tears as she read a statement in front of the court. GARLAN LOTT: I assumed it was handled by law enforcement, yes. SHELLHOUSE RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC. But McCullough was determined to get the truth out. "Over the course of the last three weeks reliving this heinous act that Ryan Alexander Duke committed ripped open the wounds," Gattis told the court before calling Duke "evil," "sneaky dangerous," and a "vile human. He graduated from Aiken High School in 1968 and was a . You have funeral questions, we have answers. After the defense rested their case, the state got the last opportunity to present witnesses as a rebuttal. Peter Van Sant and Mary Woods Harber in front of Tara Grinstead's Ocilla home. Ricou Browning, the stunt man who played the title character in underwater sequences of the 1954 classic "Creature from the Black Lagoon," died Monday at 93. She would never leave her kids. Bo began with what he says Ryan told him the day after Tara disappeared. Had to tell my alibi, you know, or where was I at, who I was around. The jury saw pictures from Fitzgerald Farms, where agents searched for Grinstead's remains in 2017. Ryan William Drakes, age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. Updated on: May 24, 2022 / 10:33 AM It's kind of odd, isn't it? An Irwin County jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murdering Georgia teacher and beauty queen Tara Grinstead. Born in Columbia, SC, Mike was a son of Vera Ballentine Dukes and the late Ernest Kenneth Dukes. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. He will be replaced by one of the six alternates who also had been listening to the testimony. Peter Van Sant: Why would Ryan Duke have murdered Tara Grinstead? See the viral video from Bo Dukes' sentencing below: Georgia Supreme Court rules Ryan Duke can use state funds for defense in Grinstead case, Tara Grinstead case: Bo Dukes reports to prison for 25-year sentence, The trial was scheduled for October, but lawyers met this week and agreed to delay the case to spring 2022, Lent List: What is most often given up, and how you can find substitutes, Major water leak keeps Dublin City Hall closed, March kicks off by continuing the warm stretch, small rain chance. AIKEN, SC - Kenneth Michael Dukes, 66, died Thursday, March 30, 2017 at his residence. Universal. Peter Van Sant: Why do you think investigators ignored you? It was somethin' I felt like, you know, I had to do. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Show Your Sympathy to the Family. In total, there were more than 40 witnesses and 300 pieces of evidence presented in the case. Another former student, Bo Dukes, is now serving a 25-year prison sentence for lying to the GBI and helping Duke bury her body. Bo then gave his account of moving and then burning her body, which began on a Wednesday and took two days. Ryan, Penny A. Tara Faye Grinstead was the youngest child of Bill and Faye Grinstead, born in 1974. Visitation: Friday, Feb. 17th from 4 - 8 p.m. at B.E. But some things stuck out to Maria. He said, "My roommate killed her.". For twelve years, the cops and private investigators tried to uncover the truth and bring the case to its deserved conclusion, but nothing came of it. Superior Courts, Cordele Judicial Circuit. In 1999, Tara Grinstead won the Miss Tifton pageant, which landed her a spot at the 1999 Miss Georgia competition. Prosecutors said Duke took law enforcement to the pecan orchard where he confessed to burning and dumping Grinstead's body. There were billboards. 2023 FOX Television Stations, jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and burglary, state and defense attorneys wrapped up their closing arguments. Bo says Ryan then repeated that a couple of days later. It was reactionary. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. focused on the investigators who have worked the case over the years. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. Mr. Dukes online guest book may be signed at www.shellhouseriversfuneralhome.com The family will receive friends from 6-8 PM Tuesday evening at SHELLHOUSE-RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, INC., 715 E. PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC Sign Guestbook Name: Then, in 2017, a woman came forward with a remarkable story about her boyfriend but could it be trusted? Dukes invited McCullough to Ocilla to spend Christmas with his family. I was a drug addict I'd been drinking. He wasn't sure who said what. SHELLHOUSE RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC, Share your thoughts and memories with family and friends of Ryan, Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home, Inc. and Shellhouse-Rivers Crematory, Shellhouse Funeral Home/Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home/Shellhouse-Rivers Crematory. Back in 2008 Van Sant spoke with Special Agent Gary Rothwell. Ryan Duke, now clean-shaven and looking very different from his 2017 arrest, took the stand. Praying for your family have strength. The two who were friends had similar sounding names but weren't related. I didn't know who he was. As Jannis recalls, early on, suspicion focused on the men in Tara's life. CONNIE GRINSTEAD [Reading family impact statement]: His confession in 2017 seemed genuine and sincere, and he looked remorseful. A date was set to start Ryan Dukes trial, but a hitch came when his lawyers filed an emergency appeal to halt it. Peter Van Sant: How did you and Bo Dukes meet? Lets find out. Maria says Tara was determined to live her dreams from a young age, competing in beauty pageants to help earn scholarship money for college. Jannis Paulk: That they had been at a party bragging about their involvement in Tara's disappearance and that ultimately, they had taken her body out to a pecan orchard and burn it in a firepit. The weight of what McCullough says Bo told him became unbearable. But who would want to harm this vibrant 30-year-old woman? "He said he killed Tara," Ryan Duke said. He looked like a person who was ready to do the right thing, but his testimony on the witness stand only seemed coached, well-rehearsed and sought self-serving benefits. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. This program is not financed by or connected in any manner with any governmental agency or veteran's or other organization. He testified that Bo Dukes told him he had killed Tara Grinstead but Ryan did not know how she died. For years, Marcus Harper lived under a cloud some might say a thunderstorm of suspicion. A full skeleton. So that gave us a stronger indication that something bad had happened. Blogs; Online will; Shop. In an exchange, the state asked Duke if he would lie when the stakes were high. I didn't know who I was staring at. and that's nobody's business, but in this case, it made it tough. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken County, Cindy was a daughter of Vera Ballentine Dukes and the late Ernest Kenneth Dukes. Forward to Family & Friends; Print; Contact Support; Upgrade; Death Certificates; Share This Obituary. TROY - Penny A. Ryan, 64 . Pallbearers will be Ryan Dukes, Jeffery Dukes, Evan Darr, Zac Buckner, Chris McGee, Chad Polatty and James Whittle. Obituary. Maria Woods Harber: So, when I came back out of the house, I saw right out from the front door, there was a latex glove. Grief researchers say holding that missing funeral service, even a year or more later, can still help us heal. But there is no question that in her short and impactful life, Tara Grinstead touched people in rare ways even those who never met her, like John McCullough. Garlan says after he reported this to Jannis Paulk, he was never formally interviewed by anyone from law enforcement. The funeral will follow at 11 oclock in the chapel with The Rev. A "panicked" Bo Dukes woke him up the following morning, Ryan Duke testified. ", Duke's attorney's argued that he had been a "model prisoner" for five years while "waiting patiently for his day in court.". As for his alibi, Ryan claimed that he had been at his mobile home in Fitzgerald the entire night. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. GBI agents have also said DNA matching both Duke and Grinstead was found on a latex glove discovered in her yard. "We will always hate what this defendant did to Tara and to the people who loved her," she said. Gooding testified her team found finger, teeth and cranium bones in the area. BO DUKES [GBI interview]: He told me that he had killed Tara Grinstead. He was a graduate of A Bo Dukes stayed in a bedroom in a trailer they rented in Fitzgerald, Ryan Duke testified. Thanks to the loyal support of generations of families, we've now grown to 45 locations nationwide with continued expansion in the future. DEFENSE: Mr. Duke, did you murder Tara Grinstead? Bens account could not be taken as hed passed before Ryan and Bo were arrested. He said Bo Dukes admitted to killing her. Mike Dukes. Neptune Society is the largest provider of affordable cremation services in the nation. Ryan Duke at his first court hearing after his arrest in February 2017, charged with Tara Grinstead's murder. She says the lawyers discussed pushing the trial into next March, but Judge Reinhardt hasn't signed an order confirming that. I know who killed Tara Grinstead or had a part of it. Tara was. Ways to honor John Dukes's life and legacy. According to Bo Dukes, the two men took Bo's pickup truck and drove out of town onto a highway and pulled off onto a dirt road leading to the pecan orchard that's owned by Bo Dukes' family. He later not only confided his secret to Bo but also asked for help to burn the body. Brooke Sheridan: Ryan Woke him up and said, "I killed Tara Grinstead.". Maria Woods Harber: This is where Tara Grinstead lived in 2005. Bo Dukes told investigators his friend, Ryan Duke, confessed he had accidentally killed Grinstead and needed his truck to transfer her body. And I think she was just trying to move on in a small town of Ocilla, everyone knew their situation. I don't remember everything clearly. April 26, 2018 Aiken, South Carolina Set a Reminder for the Anniversary of Ryan's Passing. And remember that latex glove found at the crime scene? Ryan Duke Trial Day 7 Recap. Example video title will go here for this video. Year after year passed with no arrests. GBI AGENT: So, you immediately see this and you're like "what in the hell did you do? BRYAN DUKES OBITUARY. Sometime in the night, Bo and Ben left while he and Stephen were sleeping. Posey says Duke corrected the GBI agent over 20 times during his confession, and said he believes that is key to note. The defense had previously asked the judge to dismiss the case, an action that was quickly declined. In cross-examination, Rothwell added that he takes responsibility for the GBI lapse. And even when she no longer competed, Tara helped other women, like Dana, break into that world. Police never called him a suspect, but Marcus was more closely investigated than anyone in the disappearance of his former girlfriend, Tara Grinstead. Ryan Dukes Obituary Remember Ryan Dukes. Jannis Paulk: So, I sat down with an agent and we just went through everything. He had an alibi, but the whispers continued. Peter Van Sant: What emotional impact does this have for you when you see this house? New Jersey Residents: N.J. Lic. Dana Wilder: Ocilla was Tara's life. Peter Van Sant: What did you see when you walked into her house? One witness called to the stand was Garlan Latt, who they hoped would disprove Ryan Duke's testimony that he was not the killer and Bo Dukes was the mastermind. Let others know about your loved one's death. Tara Grinstead didnt show up for work on October 24, 2005. He testified calmly, but inside was still seething at Bo. Jannis Paulk: FindTara.com. we have made an arrest.". Then, there was Tara's ex-boyfriend, Marcus Harper. At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. The couple broke things off but stayed in touch. Maria Woods Harber: She was such a good person She just didn't deserve it. Ryan was born April 23, 1981. There are reports of him being put under suicide watch a few times, yet nothing too serious came out of the incidents. It was in 2017 when Bo Dukes came out about his involvement in the case and even pointed the finger at Ryan. Bo was sentenced to 25 years in prison. My deepest condolences to my church family, may God give you all the strength and peace during your time of sorrow. And that was corroborated. The defense said Bo Dukes' attorney indicated his client would invoke the 5th Amendment if called to testify. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. It took a jury less than an hour to convict Bo Dukes on all charges. Peter Van Sant: This is the murder of Tara Grinstead and there seemed to be little interest, is that right? Find the obituary of Sandra Lee Dukes (1958 - 2021) from Clayton, DE. Send Flowers. Brooke Sheridan: I said, "You need to confess. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. I'm so sick of this stealing from her purse. Please contact your local Neptune Society office for cremation prices, and to learn more about our cremation service. Brooke Sheridan: He has a beautiful mind. I cant live with myself Im so sick of this," Duke said in a recorded video. OCILLA, Ga. Editor's Note: The video in this story is archive footage from our coverage of the case in the mid-2010s. 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